When We Were Amazing
by Breathe From Your Hoo Hoo
Summary: [songfic] Mark is a lucky guy. Such a lucky guy. Wanna know why?


Hello babies. Yes, it's me again. This time, with a songfic. The song is "Casey" by Darren Hayes, from Disc 1 of his new album _This Delicate Thing We've Made_. Starring our favourite boys, Mark and Roger. Enjoy...

* * *

_Driving in your car_

_With the windows down_

_And the beat up stereo_

_Struggle with this town_

_Cuz you love to hate it a__nd hate it to let it go_

Mark was a lucky guy. Very lucky. Though it may not seem that way to most people, he was. Sure he'd had a rough childhood, with a suffocatingly close family, a strict Jewish upbringing, a condescending sister, no friends, and school bullies who teased him to no end. Oh, and his camera. But even though Mark loved his camera, it couldn't provide him with the same comfort and friendship that a person could. Namely, a person like Roger. In a town like Scarsdale where everything in life was a rat race with everyone you know, Roger was the only person who made him feel safe, happy and alive.

_And we're all alone_

_And so tired of being u__nderrated_

_So don't take me home_

_Cuz I feel alive w__hen you come and save me_

Mark loved it best when he and Roger would go driving together in the evening after school. Sometimes they'd stop at the soda shop for a milkshake, or sometimes they'd drop by the video arcade for a quick game or two. But what they loved most was get in that car and just drive for hours on end. Not going anywhere particular. For them, the drive was enough for them to spend some quality time together in Roger's beat-up old car.

_A yellow car_

_Speeding down the Southside freeway_

_We'll rewrite this movie_

_Make it end like we want it to_

If life were a movie, then Mark and Roger would be the heroes who would overcome all odds and battles to keep their friendship intact. This though often made Mark smile.

_1989_

_Summer had hit b__ut it was not moving_

_What is it with this town?_

_Every time we win i__t just feels like losing_

But all was not peaches and cream in Mark's world. Mark's parents yelled at him time and time again, forbidding him to hang out with Roger because he was a rocker, in his torn jeans, outrageous t-shirts, bleach-blond hair, cigarette smoking and questionable vocabulary. Mark ran to his room and slammed the door behind him before crying with rage and hurt into his pillow. He couldn't just give Roger up. Roger was his saviour, his best friend, the oasis in his desert of life. If only his parents understood that.

_We were never gonna fit in_

_I was a mixed up kid a__nd you were my sanity_

_In a yellow car_

_We don't even have to go far_

_Cuz that song you're playing s__ounds like peace on the radio_

But they never did. And when the Davis family started packing their belongings and moving to another state, Mark and Roger hugged each other tightly, sat under the big oak tree in Scarsdale Park and just cried. When Mrs. Davis signalled for her son to get into the car, Roger wiped his tears, stood and said to Mark:

"I'm sorry Mark. I wish I didn't have to leave. But I will come back and find you one day. Wherever you are, I'll come for you."

Mark blinked. "Promise?"

"Cross my heart," said Roger, making an X over his chest with his finger, and then wiped Mark's tears off his face. The Jewish boy smiled and hugged his best friend again, until they finally let go of each other so Roger could get into the car. Roger waved sadly as his dad started the car's engine. Mark waved back as he watched the car move slowly and then speed off into the distance, holding back his sobs even though he could feel his throat lump tightening and his tears fogging up his glasses.

_And Casey, w__hen you go_

_Can you come and find me w__anna be beside you_

_When you leave this town, I've been waving goodbye_

_Pretending not to cry, I want to be someone_

_If you take me away all the pain will change_

_Into a memory of when we were amazing_

_I know things will change_

_Casey stay the same, take me away_

_Oh, we don't have to go far_

_Yeah, we don't have to go far, I know_

But it was a long wait though. Mark may have hated Scarsdale and all that it was about, but he still stayed in the hope that Roger would come back and take him away. He even enrolled at Brown University for a law degree, thinking it would bide some more time. But still no Roger. Finally, he dropped out of Brown, took just his camera, his equipment and whatever little money he had, and ran off to New York to lose himself and perhaps find some peace of mind. Little did he know that he would find Roger too, in CBGB's; in a band, rocking away on stage like the rock star that he was. One look into the audience and he saw Mark, sitting right at the back and filming the show. Roger smiled at his old friend, who blushed a little but smiled back.

After the show, Roger put down his guitar, waded through the heavy, drunken crowd and engulfed the Jewish boy in a big, strong hug. Mark hugged him back, crying softly into his shoulder. Roger pulled back and smiled warmly at him.

"I'm so sorry. I looked everywhere for you, but I couldn't find you."

"It's okay," said Mark gently.

"I asked your parents where you were but they wouldn't help me. They said you went away somewhere but refused to tell me where," explained the rock star.

"Yeah it was Brown University, but don't worry Rog. I'm here now. We're both here. Let's finish this movie the way _we_ want to," said Mark, reassuring him. Roger ruffled his friend's hair, and the two of them walked out of the bar and into the streets of New York City. The Lower East Side wasn't exactly anyone's dream city to live in but to these two friends, it was the oasis in their desert of life. _Their_ oasis.

_If you take me away_

_All the pain will change_

_Into a memory o__f when we were amazing_

_When we were d__riving in your car_

_With the windows down a__nd the beat up stereo, __Oh, oh_

It's been nearly six years of living in the East Village, but Roger still kept his promise. Even when he devoted much of his time to April, who introduced him to the world of drugs. Even when he contracted HIV, which meant he had a much shorter life expectancy than before. Even when he met a beautiful dancer named Mimi who coaxed him out of his depression and gave him something to smile about every day. No matter what happened in his life, Roger would never leave Mark and would always be there to rescue him in his times of need. Like best friends do.

_(I will run to you_

_I will come to you_

_I will run to you_

_I will come to you)_

_Come on and get me_

_Come on and rescue me_

And from then on, Mark never felt as lonely or as depressed as he used to when he was alone. Because he knew that if he felt even the least bit unhappy, Roger would be right there. Crashing into his life with a strong pair of arms and a sturdy shoulder to cry on. That made Mark smile.

He really was a very lucky guy.

_Coming through the sky_

_Like a satellite_

_Like a radio wave_

_A meteorite_

* * *

And that's that. I hope you liked it. Whenever I hear that song, it always reminds me of a special relationship between two people that gives them strength and peace when everything else is going rough. Please review. Thanks. 


End file.
